(Alliance News)Â - The European Commission on Saturday announced a breakthrough in the post-Brexit fishing talks with Britain after London granted new licences for EU vessels.
The European Commission said the decision "was an important step in a long process" to implement the trade agreement struck between the two sides following Britain's departure from the EU.
The row centres on licences to fish in British and Channel Island waters under the terms of the deal, the so-called Trade & Co-operation Agreement. France has long claimed that Britain is not fully implementing its obligations under the terms of the deal.
A press statement from a UK government spokesperson said negotiators took an evidence-based approach throughout the talks to grant licenses.
"Where that evidence has not been provided, licences have not been issued," the spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for the French government said in a press statement that Paris and the EU would continue to work together for the full implementation of the TCA.
The breakthrough comes after a Brussels-imposed deadline for resolving the fishing row passed on Friday without an agreement being struck.
Britain has now issued 18 licences for EU replacement vessels to operate in British territorial waters and five licences for EU vessels to access waters around Jersey in the Channel Islands.
Consultations between the two sides are due to continue over the weekend in the hopes of reaching agreement on the licensing of seven more replacement vessels by Monday.
source: dpa
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